The Project

In-situ Copper Recovery

Copper is called the "green" metal. It is 100% recyclable. It’s a renewable, sustainable resource. Copper is essential to our modern lifestyles – it’s the primary conduit of electricity to homes and an essential element in electric cars, computers, cell phones, wind turbines and more. At Florence, the deposit contains 2.4 billion pounds of copper within 340 million tons of probable reserves.

Florence Copper Inc. proposes to build and operate an in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) facility in Florence, Arizona. This process occurs from 400 to 1,200 feet below ground in a bedrock layer beneath the lower aquifer unit where drinking water supplies are withdrawn. The in-situ process uses a mild mixture of 99.5% water and 0.5% sulfuric acid that slowly dissolves copper in the bedrock. This diluted solution, which is the same acidic strength as common household vinegar, is pumped under low pressure through injection wells to dissolve the copper within the copper oxide zone. Copper-rich solution is pumped to the surface through recovery wells for processing into pure copper cathode sheets.

The Production Test Facility (PTF)

Currently, Florence Copper Inc. is in the advanced permitting stages for a 1 to 2-year Production Test Facility. The PTF will be a small-scale test facility with 24 wells: four injection wells, nine recovery wells, and 11 groundwater monitoring-related wells. This pilot test will demonstrate to residents and the regulatory agencies such as the EPA and the ADEQ that ISCR is a safe and proven process. During the PTF Florence Copper will also demonstrate and enhance best water management practices to maximize efficient water use and optimize new treatment technologies employed at the site.

Interestingly, this won’t be the first ISCR facility on this property. The EPA and ADEQ approved a similar testing project that operated successfully in the late 1990’s. Florence Copper's PTF will further test and refine the in-situ method of extracting copper from the ground and demonstrate to regulators and the community that this process can be done responsibly and effectively, while protecting water quality at all times.

After the PTF, the next step is full commercial production, which is expected to be 25 years. Full commercial life of the project is projected to produce an average of 55 million pounds of copper annually for the first six years and 85 million pounds annually for the last 14 years.

The team at Florence Copper is available to answer your specific questions about the project. Read about the background of key personnel at Florence Copper by CLICKING HERE and CONTACT US anytime to learn more.